Apple Cider Press and Crab Apple Recipes

Ever cut an apple crosswise? What a wonderful discovery. Apples have numerous medicinal properties including relieving indigestion, a vitality booster, stomach acid neutralizer and potent quercetin source. A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve provides an extensive historical, medicinal and culinary account of Apples and many other Plants. I think the most delicious apples are those happened upon outside. You may even have a few neighbors who leave their apples and are happy to share the crop with you the eager picker.


I recommend tasting your apples prior to picking so not to end up with alot of crab apples. Discovering this the hard way I still found a use for a 5 gallon bucket full of crab apples including: crab apple jelly and crab apple liqueur.














Even though, we are past apple harvest season in NW Montana if you were a diligent forager and picked your apples before the early October Arctic Blast and have them in cold storage-you're ready for some homemade apple cider. I, on the other hand, delayed my 2nd round of apple picking and am now gathering them for my compost-boohah (The first round transformed into copious amounts of frozen applesauce). No less my motivation for hard cider will not be deterred next year. Below are a few plans to smash your apples with. We're building the "easy jack" frame this year for next year's stash.

Beautiful but Welding is Involved

Here's Mother Earth News cider press

Easy Jack Press with No Instructions
I found another farm that has a modified cider press with jack that looks easier to build-see pic

Jack Press with A Little More Instruction

These cats also built a cider press with some wood and a jack. You get the idea on materials needed now







On to Recipes


Crab Apple Jelly

Large Stainless Steel Pot

4 lbs Crab Apples

4 Cups Organic Sugar

5 cups Water

Cheesecloth

Strainer

Bowl

• Wash and De-Stem Crab Apples (slice tops off-to speed this up)


• Dump into Large Stainless Steel Pot


• Cover with 5 cups Water


• Bring to a Gentle Boil for 10 minutes stirring frequently


• Smash Apples


• Gently Boil 1 more minute


• Pour into Cheesecloth lined Strainer and Drain Over a Bowl Overnight


• Reserve syrupy juice in the morning and compost apple mush


• Pour Equal Amounts of juice and sugar into large stainless steel pot


• Rapidly Boil 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves


• Transfer to Sterilized Mason Jar and process following your pressure canner's instructions

Apple Liqueur

Wide Mouth Mason Jar

Crab Apples

Dried Anise Hyssop or Lemon Balm

Vodka

• Fill wide mouth mason jar with crab apples leaving room for herbs


• Top with Anise Hyssop or Lemon Balm


• Cover with Vodka and Seal


• Store for 3-6months


• Strain and Reserve Vodka

Sip and Enjoy during a Snow Shower

Garlic Lemonade

For all you raw garlic fans-here's a delicous mellowed down version. Boosts the immune system is antiviral and decongests. We partake in a family glass once a week. Cheers!

Supplies

Mason Jar

Half an Oranic Lemon Juiced

2 Locally Grown Garlic Cloves Minced (more for a stronger bite)

Directions

Combine all in Mason Jar and Pour Boiling water over the top. Steep till Cool.

Want to Grow Your Own Garlic?

Read "Planting a Year's Worth of Garlic" at our Squash Blossom Farm Blog. We were blessed with amazing fall weather this past weekend and got 544 cloves of garlic in the ground!

Toddler Winter Boots Rated -25

These kickers rate down to -25. I found these toddler boots a few weeks ago for $9 brand new at a local store! They were listed at and eye popping $45. I got a size larger to accommodate socks for my 15month old. These Winter Boots feature a rubber toe and surround, wool insert and pull string adjustment below the knee. They have great traction as well. I was looking for something he could walk around through snow in until it's too deep and we break out the snowshoes.

He wore them around the house here and there and have tried them in fresh snow and frozen ground since. We had our first arctic blast of the fall in early October. Normally, the Arctic Cold Air doesn't drift down till January or later. So we tried out these little boots, with no socks, a little earlier than normal. After running around outside for more than an hour his feet were toasty warm. He can now move up and down the hill in the backyard as he's adjusted to the new soles.

Children who are just beginning to walk and even for years after should really wear soft soled shoes. This is so they can feel the earth shaping under their arches, heels and toes. I have started a line of toddler soft shoes on my etsy page. Check out the funky soles!

With the cold and snow like it is here in NW Montana-we had to compromise with a boot more rigid and less permeable to the elements.

I like them so much I bought the ladies version. The price keeps dropping for those too! This is my fourth winter in Glacier Country and I know they'll get plenty of use. Regardless, I probably should read No Logo by Naomi Klein as I've been branded.

Rosehip Honey

Well it's herbal making season in our kitchen amidst other fall harvest culinary adventures. My latest explorations are with Honey Extracts. Besides the herbal constituents that it pulls from herbs, local honey offers you allergy resistance.
This happens by bees visiting all your favorite nasal instigators (pollen). When you ingest the honey from local apiarist you are getting a small sample of exposure to your areas flowers and subsequently the pollen. This is similar to how Homeopathy works. Bees are critical to the survival of many fruits, vegetables and flowers. This is why NOT using insecticides is so important.

A Rose's fruiting body is known as the hip. Rosehips have up to 100X more Vitamin C than traditional food sources. They also contain Phosphorus, Vitamin A and Calcium. Vitamin C needs Calcium for adequate uptake in your system-Rosehips naturally carry this synergy.

The best time to collect is after a continuous frost for several days. So throughout fall and winter are ideal times to forage. There is something so tantalizing about hunting for red plump hips hanging low under the weight of fluffy white snow. Rose not only allures by smell but by sight.

Rosehip Honey Recipe

Wild Rosehips
Local Honey
2 Mason Jars
Chopstick

Fork

Forage in your favorite Fall or Winter Rosehips Retreat
Return Home and Fill One Mason Jar then proceed to Smash Berries with Fork
Pour Warmed Honey from other Mason Jar Over the Top

Cap and Store in a Warm Spot
Allow to Sit from 4wks-6wks
Strain
Enjoy

Helpful Extract Tips
*After pouring warm honey over mason jar of hips-stir with chopstick to release any air bubbles then add more honey

*I warm the honey by filling one mason jar with honey them placing in a warm water bath
*I also pluck the terminal end of the berry although this is not necessary

Add spoonfuls to your daily tea, take an exclusive spoonful or top waffles or toast with this scrumptious-immune boosting treat. If struck with illness take up to 8 spoonfuls a day to boost your immune system.

Rosehip honey rolled with slippery elm powder is not only soothing to a sour throat but irresistible candy for toddlers able to suck on candy.

Rosehip honey can also be stirred into warm tea for children over 15 months.

How to Make Elderberry Syrup to Prevent the Flu

Sambucus nigra and allied spp. are powerful plants. Studies have proven that extracts from the berries provide resistance to 10 different strands of Influenza A and B including H1N1. This happens by antivirin coating the receptors of flu viruses in your system thereby disabling them from replicating in your cells. No other plant can tout such effectiveness.



Taken throughout flu season and during illness, children and adults alike will show resistance or recover rapidly. Found throughout the United States, Sambucus melanocarpa and caerulea. (black and blue only) can be harvested during the month of September. Red Elderberry is potentially toxic and should not be harvested or used. Blue and Black berries should still be cooked down to release the cyanide in the berries. Syrups, tinctures and even jam or pies can be made in a short time.


Rich in antioxidants, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins and Vitamins A, B and C this is a vital herbal ally for our home.

How to Make Elderberry Syrup
3 cups Fresh Black Elderberries or 1 cup dried
3 cups water
1 cup local honey

Bring water and berries to a boil then cover and simmer for 30 minutes
Mash berries and boil and additional 5 minutes

Strain through a fine mesh strainer or jelly bag overnight or for at least 8 hours for Juice to develop
Add Honey to the Juice

Add Juice of One Lemon to Preserve
Bottle and Refrigerate

Adults
Take 1 teaspoon for daily maintenance
Take 2 teaspoons 4x a day when under the weather

Children 15months and older

Use a Medicine Dropper
Provide 1 drop for every 5lbs with mild cases of illness
During intense bouts offer half teaspoon for every 10lbs 2x daily (illness peaks day 3 and 4 typically)

Children under 6 months

Elderberry passes through breastmilk

Children 6-15 months

Offer Extract of Elderberry Juice without the Honey(follow recipe above including juice of 1 lemon and bottle after Juice has strained-skip the honey)

Quantity is same a Medicine dropper above

So why does the CDC and other Health Venues push Vaccines?

**I offer this information for those still riding the fence with allopathic drug use, for others making a move to more conscious ways of health and healing and for most who have little time to research. All below information and links were gleaned from the CDC, FDA and other recognized government agencies and open to the public eye. Take a look for yourself. **

Good Question-Most Likely Capitalist Economics. That's right drug companies make a lot of money from vaccines and provide monetary promotion to senators and representatives that push their products and even pass legislation (ie. Frist of Tennessee pushed (PREPA)-received over $250,000 from the pharmaceutical world prior to the ACT going through in 2006).

There is mounting evidence of the dangers and complications of vaccines for children. The September 2009 release of H1N1 vaccine is targeting-infants, children and nursing and pregnant women. The four drug companies involved state clearly on the safety sheets that they have not tested nor can validate the safety of vaccines for the above stated population. This really leaves one to wonder the full intention of vaccinating when the risk is unknown.

Furthermore, drug companies, health care providers and other associated with the development, processing and administering of all flu vaccines are released of all liability involving complications thanks to the 2006 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act . Interesting how the "Swine Flu" with mild cases in the US winter is now a "pandemic" (June 25th, 2009 amendment to PREPA) and untested vaccines including adjuvants are being administered with no recourse or accountability. Seriously, this is a real act with amendments being made continuously to protect big business from lawsuits. Read over all these government provided links on "countermeasures" during pandemics above. Those into allopathic medicine have lost all litigation rights.

The health boards recommendation and the drug companies findings are conflicting. Why are they vaccinating pregnant/nursing women and children if they do not know the long term effects. This is suspect and should Raise Much Concern Not Short of Alarm with Vaccines for H1N1 and other Influenza A and B Vaccines.

Information below is provided by the FDA. This information should be fully digested as you have no rights if you experience negative side effects thanks to the PREP ACT. Informed decisions verse blind faith is critical to you and yours health.

Novartis

CSL Limited

Sanofi Pasteur

MedImmune

Not only do they all contain thimerosol(mercury) allowable for "countermeasures" regardless of state and federal recommendations to ban mercury in vaccines.

Other issues include

1. No Guarantee of Immunity-routes of infection are through mucous membranes not dermal injection. Dermal injection typically leads to autoimmune diseases as your immune system attacks the foreign bodies at the site of injection.

2. Triggers- allergic reactions in those sensitive to eggs(the H1N1 flu virus is grown on embryo's of hens)

3. The arsenal of side effects to be expected: Guillian-Barre Syndrome, encephalopathy, partial facial paralysis, brachial plexus neuropathy, anaphylaxis, lymphodenopathy and the list goes on to include headaches, pain, rashes, inflammation, flu symptoms etc. This is all listed under the four drug companies safety sheets above.

4. Contains Squalene-an adjuvunt added to stretch the virus to make 4x more of the vaccine-associated with debilitating neurological diseases like Gulf War Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Squalene was banned in US drugs as late as 2006 but now can be used in "countermeasure" for pandemics

Fortunately, the majority of the population has the sense to not be swayed by propaganda and only roughly 100 million people buy into a flu shot of one kind. However, the hype involved with "children not showing immunity" as this is a strain from the 70's and "children are congregating and sharing public space"etc..etc.etc-let's make sure we inject millions of young healthy children with a vaccine-untested and with materials known to cause a gamut of illness's? Seriously? 144 children have died this year from bacterial infections post flu illness. If your child contracts the flu and you are worried about post bacterial infections-follow up with antibiotics. Once the antibiotic round is through offer yogurt and probiotics to rebuild healthy bacteria.

Typically noxious bacterial levels can be kept at bay by simply offering probiotics on a regular schedule(create a competitive environment with the good and bad bacteria), eating yogurt and simply not taking antibiotics for every little illness.

Other immune boosting and treatment options include Homeopathy as well as, Herbal Tinctures and Teas. Anas barbariae also known as occillococcinium is a homeopathic nosode and (quote below taken from Dana Ullman-Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants)

"proven remedy effective in treating the flu. It is particularly effective if it is taken during the first 48 hours of the onset of the flu"

Echinacea tincture can also be offered to improve immunity and eliminate infection-Dosage is 1 drop per 5lbs of body weight in mild cases and 1 drop per 2lbs during intense periods. Look for a glycerine extract.

Teas of chamomile, lavender and lemon balm are quite soothing and can consumed on a daily basis and especially during illness. Even added to a bath can be relieving for children and adults. Lemon Balm is antiviral with mild sedative properties with no side effects other than peace and relaxation.

Overall, forget about siphoning through the media out there-if you are considering flu vaccines for your little one-ask your physician for the safety sheets that are linked above. Request titer test to validate antibodies were developed.

Or better yet-be confident in you and yours immune system, eat well, allow for full recovery and down some elderberry.

Further Reading

Naturally Healthy Babies and Children-A Commmonsense guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition and Health-Aviva Jill Romm

Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West-Michael Moore

Return Old Sigg Bottles for BPA-Free Sigg Bottles

The Woes and Worries of BPA continues. Word is Sigg Bottles produced before 2008 have a epoxy lining laden with BPA. The Good News is you can mail the bottles in(you cover the postage) to recieve a BPA-FREE Sigg Bottle for FREE of Comparable Size and Design.

You must return bottles by October 31st 2009. Follow this link for printing proper labels and instructions.

This is the powerful result of collective dissent voicing their concerns via blogging and twittering. Results were seen within one month. Just imagine what else we can accomplish on so many other civil and social spheres.

Link between Physcial Activity and Cognitive Function

Walkers, yet another parent convenient toy you can do without for many reasons but mainly because they delay walking and can even prevent crawling, are dangerous and lack mental stimulation and they've been outright banned in Canada from being sold, advertised or imported (the US AAP is pushing for the same).
What's wrong with walkers? Where do I begin. Walkers overdevelop calf and ankle muscles while doing nothing for stomach, thigh and hip muscles. This occurs primarily in the "sit in" walkers. In addition they confuse and slow the developing mind of a child who has yet to learn to crawl, sit up or otherwise scoot their way across the floor on their own. Babies need to be aware visually of how their body works. Walkers block the view of feet and legs. The walk behind or push walkers are less damaging to the muscle development but still can cause irregular development with weight not being directly applied over the hips.
Now on the other hand if your child has started walking on their own without assistance and consciously chooses items like bar stools, chairs, tricycles, boxes or whatever else they deem suitable as walkers-no harm there. Their muscles are properly developing and they are simply being cognitively creative to propel themselves through space.
It may seem harsh to deem walkers as parent convenient toys but typically walkers are for those who want to pop their little one in and merrily go on their way of doing "other" things. Did you know walkers are the leading cause of injuries of all "baby products". They are simply a false security on so many levels. A baby can propel themselves quickly toward stairs-even ones with gates and with considerable force break through. Over 75% of accidents involve stairs.
Studies have concluded walkers are not beneficial for physical or mental development. Even with this knowledge parents continue to use these devices. It's really important to think long term here as well. Feeling your child is occupied and content while in reality they are far less active in their physical motor development and mental development. They are not working on crawling, scooting or other creative ways to move across the floor. This is lost physical time. They are not discovering how their bodies can enable them. They are not "reaching" for objects with earnest physical effort. This is not the normal progression of development.
Walkers will have long term affects in the preschool and primary school years. Children who used walkers early on are less physically active in those later years. Break down your childs' day of physcial mobility and inactivity (sitting in carseat, high chair or other restrained device). The majority of their waking day should be physical with very little restraint.
In addition, the majority of walkers are large hunks of plastic. Which if you are not yet aware come from petroleum and do not break down readily. Minimize your landfill load and interact with your child at the level their at instead.
Call me crazy but really ponder the use of baby-sitter and baby-sat when screening for caregivers during the baby and toddler years. Sitting the baby in a bouncer, excersaucer, walker, jumper or tv is detrimental to their development and health. Cognitive learning and physcial activity are imperative for a balanced being. If you really want to get down to the science of learning, the same part of the brain processes learning, physical activity and music. If you are questioning learning and desks-I'm right there with you.
Anyway, give your baby every opportunity to take advantage of the early days of motor development. Try playing with water, painting, playing or listening to music, baking, gardening, swimming, baby yoga or even- you become their prop-you'll both be stronger by your chooses today.